Printing systems typically include a print head, a supply of ink, a controller and associated electronics that guide the production of images from the ink onto print substrates. The print head may take many forms, including a jet stack, which is a series of thin, metal or polymer plates stacked together to form manifolds, pressure chambers, and an array of nozzles to deposit ink on the print substrates. Regardless of the configuration of the print head, it must undergo an initial fill.
The initial filling typically occurs at the manufacturing plant. A problem arises during the fill process because air, in the form of bubbles, becomes trapped in the print head. The presence of air bubbles interferes with the ability of the actuators to transmit pressure waves through the print head efficiently and reliably, where the pressure waves drive the ink out of the print head.
Historically, eliminating these bubbles involves a painful process of pushing large volumes of liquid through the print head. This typically dislodges large bubbles. Small bubbles become absorbed into the ink after a long process of patiently waiting. This can take several hours per print head.